NYC Subway Shooting Suspect Arrested
James reported his own whereabouts to police after seeing himself on the news
On Wednesday, April 13, 62-year-old Frank James was arrested; he was the main suspect in the New York City subway shooting that left multiple people injured. Sources say James turned himself in, CNN reports.
James reportedly called the police to inform them that he was at a McDonald's on the Lower East Side of Manhattan; he had seen his face on the news and knew he was wanted.
However, things weren't exactly easy from there. James told police he would remain inside the McDonald's while he charged his cell phone, but he wouldn't give police his phone number, and the call was dropped soon after. When police arrived at the McDonald's, James wasn't there — but another person called in soon after to report seeing James, and a bystander near the McDonald's was able to flag down James.
James was arrested by 1:40 p.m. ET, roughly one hour after making the initial call.
Here's a little more about what he's facing now, from CNN:
James was charged in federal court with violating a law that prohibits terrorist and other violent attacks against a mass transportation system, according to Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York. If convicted, he could spend life in prison, Peace said. He was in federal custody Wednesday afternoon.
James will have his initial court appearance Thursday, according to a spokesperson for the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. CNN has reached out to his federal defender for comment.
Right now, police don't have a motive to explain why James allegedly set off smoke grenades and fired a handgun 33 times on the N train as it headed to the 36th Street station. Twenty-nine people were injured, 10 of whom had been shot. Thankfully, no one appears to have sustained life-threatening injuries.